A long lens for sunsets?
Q I love sunset shots, but when I am shooting with my wide-angle lens, the sun isn’t as strong in the frame as I want it to be. What can I do to make the sunset the subject?
Tony Hillier
A The field of view of your wide-angle lens naturally pushes the furthest elements back in the scene and accentuates the foreground, which works a lot of the time for landscapes. However, a telephoto lens that narrows that field of view and allows you to pick out detail with the landscape will mean you can make more of something dramatic, like a sunset. The focal length you use can be anything from 200mm to 600mm, depending on how tight to the sun you want to go.
When shooting sunsets this way, if you get the exposure correct for the drama, there’s little, if anything, you need to do in Photoshop or Lightroom. I’dInstead, choose Daylight WB, which gives a more faithful representation of what you are seeing. Make sure you don’t stare directly at the sun, or you could damage your eyes – if possible, frame up using the LCD to avoid eye damage. There is a chance you’ll get some flare in your shot, too, although this is reduced when the sun is less intense. To control it, alter your shooting position and make sure the lens hood is attached – you can further shield the lens with your hand or a cap. Lens flare can also add a little extra atmosphere to the image, so don’t feel you have to eradicate it at all.
